North and South continuation of Adlervan's epic
by laneee
Summary: Please read Adlervan's North and South first! It's very good! This piece is a direct continuation. It is sort of a Spooks/Robin Hood crossover, Lucas-centric story. Adlervan has been distracted by Glee! so I am writing some chapters cause I can't wait!
1. Chapter 1

_As I said in the summary, this is a continuation of Adlervan's piece which I strongly recommend reading. Rated M for sexual themes, probably violence in later chapters (this is the Spooks universe after all!) This chapter is pretty short, but the next one will be much longer, I am hoping to update regularly...there is a plan! Thanks to whatcatydidnext2 for reading it over for me :)_

_btw, i didn't invent these characters, and don't get anything but reviews for my efforts...so please, review away!_

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Lucas dreams of the chase, of running with no back pain, of pursuing an indistinct adversary, every step bringing him closer, pulling his quarry into sharper focus. Flexing his fingers he prepares for contact – just as he leaps she spins around and says "Shhh…Lucas….Lucas, please wake up…Lucas."

His dream dissolves around him as he struggles awake, feels someone frantically shaking him…Marian.

Her urgent blue eyes are wide with fear and so close as she shushes him again. He smiles stupidly into her face as she hisses his name, glancing over her shoulder at the door. He smiles again, and then realizes that he is tied, handcuffed somehow with arms back through a chair. His spine throbs as he forces himself upright, flexing against the metal. Tastes the sourness of betrayal and glares bitterly at Marian, grates out, "I thought I was supposed to trust you."

He sees the fighting spirit come up in her eyes, pushing the fear out, but she frantically hushes him anyway. Checking the door again, she whispers, "They wanted to kill you…I convinced them…", she takes a deep breath, starts again, "I convinced them that you could be valuable. Here, take these." She leans over and he breathes in her scent as she reaches around him and shoves two hairpins into his hands. "You can use these to pick the lock, right? Don't they teach you how to do that at spy school or something?" There is a sound at the door and she takes a quick step back as her pupils dilate with fear, or maybe excitement, or maybe some combination of the two. "Play dead", she hisses.

Lucas complies, lets his head sag, his arms go slack against the cuffs, carefully conceals the hairpins up his sleeves. He hears the door open, someone step in. Marian says, "Look, I think he's starting to wake up." Lucas blinks his eyes and moves his head, is surprised by the genuine concern he hears in the man's voice, "Marian, get back, he could hurt you!" He opens his eyes as Marian scoffs, "What is he going to do, Robin, bite me? He's not going anywhere."

Lucas can't help baring his teeth at the thought, looks at Marian's legs where they disappear into the obscenely short T-shirt cum dress that she is still wearing. Robin catches the glance, moves faster than Lucas can believe and he tastes blood in his mouth as he is practically knocked to the floor.

"You don't look at her. You don't even think of her!" the man snaps venomously, drawing his arm back again, but Marian catches it, winds herself around him, and murmurs soothingly in his ear.

Lucas finally manages to focus his eyes, recognizes Locksley from the grid photos, notices he is fitter than Lucas had assumed, thin, yes, but wiry and fast. Very fast, Lucas reminds himself as he tongues the bloody cut in his cheek and stares into Locksley's eyes.

Marian is still murmuring into Locksley's ear, and she turns to face him, drops his arm and runs her hands over his shoulders and back into his hair. Lucas feels bile rise into his throat as she tips her face up to kiss him, pulling his head down, pulling his eyes off of Lucas and onto her.

He hears her murmuring again and strains to hear, "…give him something to watch…it'll be like torture, only more fun." Locksley laughs and kisses her again, more passionately now, and she is turning him, backing away. Lucas is suddenly blinded by the hot jealousy sweeping over him as Locksley presses her up against the wall. He watches, unable to look away as the man slides a hand up her thigh, pushing the microscopic dress higher. Lucas thrashes and struggles in his bonds, then sees Marian's eyes on him over Locksley's shoulder.

He stops, realizing that Locksley is distracted he begins working on his cuffs with her hairpins. Locksley's other hand is cupping her breast now and his face is buried in her neck as she watches Lucas. He tears his eyes away, concentrates on the lock, looks back up as his hands come free. Marian closes her eyes and moans, burying her face in Robin's chest as Lucas feverishly attacks the ropes on his ankles.

He stands, Marian's face is still hidden and now Locksley is rocking his hips against her, has her dress above her hips and his hand in the waistband of her panties. Lucas snarls silently, and steps forward, grabs the pistol from the back of Locksley's belt and hits him over the head with it. He slumps to the floor, unconscious. Marian looks up at him, unsurprised, and then it is Lucas pressing her against the wall, his hands sliding over her body. Ignoring his back, he lifts her, pinning her against the wall with his hips. He watches her eyes dilate, and knows that it is not with fear this time as she wraps her legs around his waist and he sinks his teeth into her neck, wanting to erase every trace of Locksley from her body, wanting to erase every thought of him from her mind. She laughs low and breathlessly in his ear, says, "Does watching get you blood up Lucas? I'll have to remember…" He savagely quiets her mouth with his, then breathes, "No, it is torture. I could never…" He hears her laugh again, but he doesn't care because now it is his hand trying to slide her underwear down, and his mouth on her breast, tasting her skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

Still laughing, she says, "Lucas, you have to go, we don't have time for this", and she is pushing him away. "Marian, no!" he says, but she laughs again, regretfully this time as he feels her hand release the grip she has on his belt. "You have to leave before anyone else comes to check", she says firmly, "You got free, somehow, you knocked us both out while we were…distracted…and escaped."

"Marian", he says again, his eyes desperate, wants to take her with him.

"No, Lucas, they are planning something, I have to find out what it is, it's important." He looks at her, worried, "It's too dangerous, what if…"

"I will come to you, I promise" she says, and he desperately wants to believe her as she reaches up to touch his face. He sighs, and tucks her hairpins back into her hair. She lies down next to Locksley and he feels the jealousy rise again as he turns to go. At the door he looks back, sees her watching him as he slides out of the room, Locksley's gun held firmly in his hand.

He carefully walks through the next room and then down the hall. He hears voices from somewhere in the house, identifies heavy middle eastern accents as he slips silently out of the front door. He notes the house number as he walks casually away down the street.


	2. Chapter 2

_this chpt is up soon bc I had already written it, the next ones should take a little longer to be up, maybe a week each? maybe less depending on how inspired I'm feeling._

* * *

8am and he is still on the grid, eyes red with sleeplessness, a large bruise forming on his jaw where Locksley punched him. He thought the debriefing would never finish, thought he would never satisfy Harry and Roz, but after 3 hours they have finally stopped. He sips coffee and leans his head on his hand, tries halfheartedly to follow the discussion.

Harry says, "…but can we trust her? It seems unlikely at best"

Roz replies, "What choice is there?" shooting an impenetrable glance at Lucas, adds, "She does seem to like Lucas."

Roz studies him as he looks away impatiently, refuses to meet her steady gaze.

He sighs, already certain what they will decide. Locksley and Yusef have moved from the house where he was held, and the team is still trying to trace the convoluted ownership of that house and the one in which the…orgy…was held. Marian is their only connection, they will have to wait, and trust, he will have to trust_, _her to make contact.

He sighs again. Harry and Roz both turn and study him this time, finally Harry says, "Lucas, you've been awake all night, barring a few hours of forced unconsciousness. Why don't you go back to your flat, get cleaned up, get some sleep?"

He shakes his head stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge the exhaustion, ignoring the back he has long since run out of painkillers for. "Come on Lucas, you're not going to do any good here, we'll call you when we get a break." He shakes his head again, but then stops, thinks of Marian. Does he trust her? I will come to you…she said. He is unable to stop a shiver at the thought. He looks up, sees Roz still studying him, says, "Yes, I think I will go home…sleep" He lurches to his feet, heads out of the room, certain he can feel Roz's eyes on his back. He wonders what she thinks, if she suspects, if she can tell how…unprofessional…this whole case has become for him.

At home he showers, takes some pills, rebandages his thigh wound, wonders what he should do now. Wonders if Marian will come. Wonders what he will do if she does, wonders what he will do if she doesn't. Eventually the meds roll him under and he falls asleep completely, helplessly on the couch.

He dreams of her, Marian, dancing again, up against the wall again, the smell of her skin making him crazy. He dreams of a future, of being with her, of vetting her with Harry. Even in his sleep he laughs, knows she would never get past Harry. He dreams of running, of chasing her, of catching her, sometimes of losing her in a blind fog or dense undergrowth. Sometimes she catches him instead, sometimes she laughs as she pulls the trigger.

He wakes up to the sound of water, feels cold air stirring over wet spots on his chest. He tenses, waiting for the water to move higher, to move up and cover his face until he is drowning—again, desperate.

He is surprised to hear a voice, her voice, "Hi Lucas". He opens his eyes, sees her at his sink. She grins mischievously and holds a key up, "Good job I borrowed this last time I was here, makes it much easier to sneak in." He can't keep the annoyance out of his face and her grin widens. "We've already established that you're happy to see me." Her eyes slide down over his chest and he realizes that his shirt is unbuttoned, that his fly is unzipped, that the wet spots on his chest belong to her, that he has a massive erection straining against the fabric of his briefs.

He jumps up, angry that she has managed to put him off-balance again. He zips his fly and buckles his belt, but shrugs out of the shirt -- figures it's too late to salvage that bit of dignity. He stalks across the floor, stretching his height to loom over her, tries to look dangerous.

She stops smiling but that bratty self-confidence never leaves her face as she watches him approach. Her eyes roam down to his hips before swinging back up to his face. She eyes his mouth and bites her lip before turning to counter and putting the water on to boil.

He grabs her arm and roughly spins her around to face him, leans over to intimidate her but even before her spine stiffens and she jerks away he knows it won't work, knows it'll just make her harder to deal with.

"Thought you'd never wake up Lucas, those pain meds must dull your super-spook senses", she teases, watching his face to see if it bothers him. He just looks at her, notices the finger marks already bruising on her arm and feels a momentary pang of guilt, but he doesn't apologize, instead says, "Do you have information for me?" He grabs her arm again, but more gently now and this time she leaves it in his grasp, says, "Information? …yes, I might have something like that." She pauses, looks momentarily scared, but then he feels her looking at his mouth again as she adds, "Are you sure that is all you want from me, Lucas?"

He doesn't answer, but knows she can read the truth in his eyes as she laughs and reaches down to grab his belt buckle. She tips her face up and he kisses her hungrily, twisting his hands into her dark hair. All the while she's unbuckling his belt, unzipping his fly, and then pushing down until his pants are barely hanging on to his hips.

He is shaking with excitement and breaks the kiss to look down at her, frightened of the urgency and need he feels. He reminds himself that this is unprofessional, that she is a terrorist, and engaged, and probably a liar as well, but it makes no difference to his hands that are slowly pushing her shirt up her back. He knows that he can no longer make rational decisions where she is concerned, that his mission is hopelessly compromised, that more than anything else he doesn't want to give her this, doesn't want her to know how much he needs her because he knows that she will use it as a weapon, just as she does everything else.

As he runs his hand up under her bra she moans into his chest, her hot breath tickling his skin and he realizes that all of that doesn't matter because if he can't have her he wants nothing.

He walks her back to the couch, discarding her shirt and bra on the way. He pushes her onto it and stands, looking down at her and breathing heavily. She reaches up to pull him to her, but he grabs her hand, leans over and presses it up over her head, needing to maintain control of at least this interaction. She smiles at it, but lets him, stays limp and unresisting.

He kisses her again, and runs his free hand down over her body to her waistband. He impatiently tugs her jeans off and feels her watching him as he runs his hands back up over her legs. He knows what she can read in his face as he touches her, but he no longer cares to conceal it. She moans again as his hands move up her inner thighs, and he looks into her face and pauses, almost surprised, as he sees her own desire and need written there.

"Please Lucas" she says, her voice breathy and intense. He feels jealousy rise again as he thinks of the way she sounded on the phone with Robin. Scowling, he straightens up, pushing his own pants down, sliding his briefs carefully off before kneeling in front of her and pulling at her underwear – still tiny, but plain black today, he notes. He slides his hand between her legs, watching her face. She gasps and shuts her eyes tight as she pushes her hips up against him. She is wet and hot around his fingers and he can smell the damp of her. An image of the stocky 'sheriff' forms in his mind before he can push his doubts away, but then she grabs his hair and pulls him up to kiss her.

"Please Lucas" she says again, and as he looks into her eyes he knows for this instant that she is not lying, has not lied, will never lie, to him. He pushes into her and as the ecstasy builds he hears her crying out, calling his name and when he collapses against her he thinks that now he knows what it is to be happy.

It seems like hours later, but he knows it has only been a few minutes when she starts squirming out from under him. He doesn't want her to, wants to hold her there, but doesn't, lets her sit up while he rests his head on the couch next to her, his knees still on the floor. She looks at him seriously, starts telling him something about Locksley, but he can't pay attention while she is sitting there naked and beautiful, with her skin flushed and still glowing from his touch. Instead he moves over and starts kissing her thigh, runs his tongue up the curve of her hip.

"Lucas!" she snaps, all business, "What are you, sixteen? I can't stay long and this is important!" He looks up, hurt, but knows she is right, knows he needs to focus. He raises an eyebrow as he looks her over, sees her face flushing when she catches his glance, but he turns and grabs his shirt, throws it at her, "You'll have to put something on in that case." He can't help smiling as he pulls on his pants and then comes back, sits next to her on the couch.

He finds that he is still distracted by the way her legs look coming out of the bottom of his shirt, and thinks maybe she is distracted too when she checks out his tattoos yet again. He thinks maybe he should just grab her and carry her back to his bedroom, or barring that maybe he should get them both some more clothes, but then she starts talking and he listens this time.

He learns that Locksley and Downpatrick are definitely planning something, that this something is going to be big. She looks surprised, and worried, and completely shocked when she tells him that this time – this time – they are planning to kill people – as many people as possible. She thinks the target might be the British Petroleum headquarters in Westminster but she's not sure, Robin has refused to tell her anything concrete. She doesn't know when, or how exactly, but she does know that Downpatrick is supplying explosives and expertise.

"What is ELF supplying then?" Lucas prods her.

Marian stops, bites her lip, finally mutters, "I don't know" while she avoids his gaze. He grabs her chin, forces her she look at him while he asks again.

"I don't KNOW!" she yells, but then, her voice dropping to a whisper, continues, "…Robin…Robin keeps talking about martyrs." She clamps her jaw closed as if to keep any more words from coming out, looks scared again, but stares at him defiantly. Now it is his turn to avoid her gaze; he doesn't want her to know how glad he would be to see Locksley dead for dragging her into this – doesn't want her to see the fear for her that is flooding through him.

He covers his emotion with another question, careful to keep his voice smooth, even, "We will need a list – names of people in ELF – names of possible participants."

He waits, letting the silence stretch. She has her jaw clenched again and stares at one of the prints on his wall. Finally she sighs, says, "I don't really know, I never paid much attention and I haven't met everyone, but I will give the names I do know." He reaches to touch her face, wanting to smooth the tension from her jaw. "I know this is hard", he says.

She jerks her head around, knocking his hand away before he can react. Her eyes are bitter and full of anger and focused right on his as she spits, "You have NO idea! You couldn't…!" She bites the words off again, and stands up, starts gathering her clothes, pulling them on.

"I need to get back – it's been too long already. I told Robin that I'd go crazy in there, that I needed to walk", she laughs bitterly, "he didn't even want me to do that! And now!"

"Back where?" Lucas asks warily.

"Nowhere" Marian sulks.

"Marian, where?" he asks again, unable to keep the concern from creeping into his voice. She remains silent, studies his prints again. Finally, he breaks the silence, says, "I wish you'd tell me, I wish you wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what?" Marian interrupts, "Wouldn't betray Robin to you? Wouldn't betray every god-damned thing my fiancée believes in? What do you know about it anyway?"

I wish you wouldn't hide things from me he thinks, but instead he says, the worry strong in his voice, "I wish you wouldn't go back there – you may know Robin, you may trust him", he thinks of the concern he heard in the man's voice, "but these other people, they are dangerous – they would just as soon kill you as look at you."

"Funny you should say that", she smiles to herself before continuing, "that's basically the same thing Robin said about you." Her eyes widen in realization, and in that moment Lucas swears he feels his heart stop as a million suspicions race through his head. He forces himself to calmness, forces his voice smooth again, but there is no need to keep the threat out of it as he asks, "What does Robin know about me, Marian?" She just stares at him. He asks again, more dangerously this time, "What does Robin know?"

She suddenly starts babbling, her face a picture of perfect innocence, "Nothing, nothing, I just meant about last night when we caught you – you were all tied up, remember? I was helping you, and he, and he… remember how he said…" Lucas lets her words wash over him, but knows that she is lying, is suddenly sure that she is manipulating him – with Locksley's consent? Was the sex just...? Surprised, he realizes that he is angry, but that what he is really feeling, what is swamping the anger, drowning it, is excitement, excitement that this chase is not over – yet.

He forces himself to relax, goes through his facial muscles one by one before interrupting her with a laugh, "He thought I might bite you, yes?" He bares his teeth at her and laughs again.

Marian laughs along, nervously. He studies her, she is scared again – of him? He quickly comes to a decision, asks, "Are you sure you don't want to tell me where you're going? We could protect you."

"I'm sure", she says, still with the scared look in her eyes, "It doesn't matter anyway, we're moving again tonight, probably to some other filthy shithole just like it."

He reaches out and touches her shoulder, carefully, gently, the same way he used to pet his neighbor's skittish cat when he was a boy. He feels her start to relax under his hand, and says, "Well then, why don't you get cleaned before you go? Take a shower here? I promise it's clean." He shoots her a big smile, and regaining her normal confidence, she smiles back before raising an eyebrow in invitation, "Maybe you could join me?" He looks her up and down, slowly, making sure that she sees him doing it before coming back up to her mouth, to her eyes. "Definitely…you go ahead, I'll be there in a minute."

As soon as he hears the water running he grabs a small box that he had hoped would stay in his jacket pocket. He opens it, takes out the bugs he borrowed from Malcolm on the way out this morning. He carefully slips a tiny tracking device into the lining of her coat, adds a bug, and for good measure jams more into the soles of the shoes she has conveniently left by the front door. He smiles, just a tiny bit, knowing that now she is playing his game, knowing that she has no idea.

He sheds the bit of clothing he had managed to put back on and opens the bathroom door. A wave of steam and the smell of his shampoo engulf him as he steps in. He feels his breath quicken in anticipation, realizes that he likes that she is using his shampoo again, that he wants her to smell like it, that he wants her to smell like she's his.


	3. Chapter 3

_this was going to be longer, but I'm having a really hard time writing the second half, so I decided to split it. Also I've been sick for 2 weeks :( so maybe that's contributed to the difficulty. Fingers crossed that once I recover I'll cruise through it no problem._

* * *

_back on the grid..._

Lucas crouches over the monitor, covers the screen with his body, wants to keep this project all to himself.

Malcolm doesn't really understand (probably because Lucas refuses to acknowledge or explain it), but takes it all in stride, barely speaks, and when he does keeps his voice lowered.

Just as the little blinking dot which is Marian stops, Ros walks by. Curiosity piqued by Lucas' tense posture, she stops and glances at the screen over his shoulder. He scowls, thinking his face safely out of sight, but then she catches his eye in a reflection. His scowl deepens as she asks, with a wry twist to her mouth, "Your girl?"

"Yes, mine", he snaps before consciously smoothing his face and revising, "My contact".

"She know you're tracking her?"

"No", he admits warily.

"Hmm", she replies, pursing her lips, and he can tell she's wondering how he managed to get the device on her, but instead she asks, "Bugged too?"

He nods and she says, "Ok then, once she's stopped take a surveillance van over there and see what you can pick up. Why don't you take Jo with you…?"

"No", he interrupts, "I'll be fine alone; I won't even need to get out of the van." She raises her eyebrows and he knows that he has given away too much, knows he has just confirmed any suspicions she may already have, but he makes himself meet her weighing eyes steadily, wills her to just leave it.

Ros raises her eyebrows higher in doubt, but nods her head anyway.

* * *

Lucas drives by Marian's location, gives it a quick once-over – she's right, it is a shithole, a fucking dump really, peeling paint, scraggly bushes out front, the whole deal.

He drives down the block and parks out of eyesight. As he scrambles into the back he vaguely wonders what's on the outside of his van – carpet cleaners? Plumbing? Telephone? He shrugs, surprised that he didn't notice when he climbed into it. He pulls a headset on, snaps on the receiver, and is immediately immersed in what must be the middle of a conversation.

"…it just took longer than I thought, that's all."

"Marian", he identifies Locksley's voice, "Downey's guys are getting antsy, I have to tell them something."

"Tell them…I don't know…tell them he was suspicious, that he doesn't trust me, that I had to…reassure him."

Despite the fact that she has just confirmed his worst suspicions Lucas smiles, remembers how pleasant that 'reassurance' was. He stifles a laugh when he hears Locksley's tone, "What do you mean 'reassure' him? Marian? You didn't…"

"Don't be stupid, Robin!" she snaps. Lucas can hear her breath huffing in and out impatiently before she continues, her tone now low and throaty, "You know I love _you_ baby. You know how I feel."

There is a moment of silence before he replies, "I know baby, I know you, and I know you wouldn't…I just love you so much and I can't help it if I worry."

Lucas smirks, poor sod, at least he isn't the only one she's playing.

The smirk disappears when he hears rustling and then Marian's moan – this he hadn't counted on, stupid of him really, he'd read her journal, he'd known this was the main thing they did together…but the sounds still bother him, still slide in under his skin and twist.

He reminds himself again that this is what Marian does…and then the sound of low muffled breathing distracts him. The zink of a zipper slide is interrupted by heavy static, and he glances down to see his hands fisting around the cables, clenching until his knuckles look bone white in the dark of the van. He splays his fingers out against his thighs, holds them open as he takes deep, calming breaths, glad that Jo is not here to see him…glad that he has managed to stay in the van, glad that he has not raced into the house, grabbed Marian, and raced back out.

Lucas turns the volume down low, too low to really hear, or at least that's what he tells himself. He thinks maybe he should call in; report Marian's duplicity to Harry. He fingers the phone in his pocket; they need to know that the information in his earlier report is probably wrong. He briefly wonders if Harry suspects – no he is sure that Ros _knows _–as good as anyway--and if Ros knows then she has surely told Harry. Decides in that case he'd rather not talk to Harry right now – he'll see what he can learn first, at least tail them to their new camp before calling in.

Something about the muted sounds in his ear grabs his attention and he turns the volume up a bit, checks what's going on – Robin and Marian are still at it for Christ's sake, but then he hears voices, figures she must have left her shoes by the door again and he's picking another part of the house up with that mike.

He separates the signals, turns the volume up. The first voice is heavily accented.

"What about the girl?"

"Locksley trusts her", says another voice, this one British.

"She's working with an MI5 agent! It's too risky; we have to get rid of her."

"No, not…yet," Lucas clenches his fist again at the way the voice lingers over that yet, "she is feeding him what we want him to know. They're going to be spending all their time securing the World Bank conference next week…which is time they are not going to spend finding us."

Lucas' eyes narrow in surprise as he takes in this information – Marian had _not_ told him anything about the World Bank – did this mean she had told him the truth? Just what kind of game was she playing anyway? Maybe she really…NO! He quashed the thought half formed, he had to remain…objective…detached…he had to…

Sudden shouting pounds through his head, the sound of it somehow making his back ache. What were they saying? He strained to make it out, heard the British voice again, "Move! Move. Everybody out now!"

Lucas sat up, alert, what could have panicked them? His sudden sinking feeling is confirmed by a crunching noise followed by static. His bug – they'd found it. Marian? Was she…? Cursing under his breath, he turned the volume for the other piece back up.

"Robin, what is that shouting?" Marian – he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding – she was still safe.

"I don't know…", he replies, then Lucas hears the door burst open, rough voices, then Marian, "Get the fuck off! Get the fuck OFF of me!" Locksley talking over her, "What are you doing? Leave her…get OFF!" Heavy breathing, and then the sound of a punch connecting makes Lucas smirk, think that maybe someone else has just found out how fast Locksley is, but then he hears Marian start screaming.

He stands, half-crouched, in the van for a moment, tells himself it's impossible, that he can't go in blind like this, but when he hears her scream again he rips the headset off and jumps out of the van anyway. Clutching his gun tightly he runs towards the house, at the last minute barely stopping himself from bursting through the front door. He pulls himself up short, skulks behind the hedge instead, willing himself to be calm, to be professional, to remember that this is his job. But it doesn't feel like a job anymore – it doesn't feel like fun anymore –it is awful and scary and he can't focus.

He breathes, watches the front, sees no movement, so he slides along the side of the house, stopping carefully under each window to listen. Finally, he hears something; voices low and urgent.

First is Robin, sounding terse and sullen, "…you don't know anything, Downey, you don't _know_ her, you don't know how that got there."

The next voice, the British one from earlier, is low and persuasive, "Robin, it _has_ to be her. I told you not to bring her in; you can't trust women in these situations. They are never able to understand the necessity of sacrifice."

Robin again, starts out faint, but grows in certainty as he finishes, "No, she wouldn't…she would never…I _won't _ believe it."

"Ok for now, but Robin…just…think about it"

Lucas sags against the windowsill, relief flooding him; Locksley is still protecting her. He knows he has to get her out soon, before Downpatrick changes his mind, before it is too late, but he has time.

He hears a door open and shut and moves on, peeks around the corner of the house. Nothing, but he can hear muffled yelling – Marian. He peeks again, sees a large man backing out of the rear door, hauling a struggling Marian with him. Another beefy type follows right behind, a sneer on his face as he watches her. Lucas ducks back as they glance his way then out again in time to see Marian's wide, frightened eyes as they stuff her into a waiting car.

She is still wearing her jacket, so he races – cautiously this time – back to his van, ready to follow wherever they take her.


	4. Chapter 4

_Didn't even read this one over for spelling or grammar....it has taken me so long to finish I just wanted to get it up! Sorry if there are any distracting mistakes._

* * *

Ros walks into Harry's office, slides a copy of Lucas' last report across the desk.

"I just talked to him, he says in light of some new information this may all be rubbish…or not"

Harry just looks at her, finally asks, "and why isn't he here to tell me this?"

Ros, expressionless, replies, "He's on surveillance…alone."

"He's bugging her?"

"She doesn't know."

"Indeed"

Harry frowns in silence for a moment, then asks, "Has Lucas done or said anything odd in front of you?"

"Not any more than usual, but then he always is somewhat…unpredictable", she hesitates for a moment, then adds, "He has seemed a bit…tense…perhaps."

Harry frowns again, says abruptly, "I need to speak with him. Now. Pull his location up on the map"

* * *

Lucas sits in the back of the van, listening. There is nothing of interest. Static. Small creakings. Low murmurs. Nothing. The dark of the van is beginning to press down on him like the walls of a cell, like the walls of his cell. Claustrophobia lurks, ready to drive him into panic in one unguarded moment. He feels stifled, but continues to sit, motionless except for the small muscles that occasionally spasm in his back.

And he listens. Hopes that she is safe; imagines that he can hear her breathing in the darkness. He had seen them dragging her into the new house – very posh this time, definitely not a shithole. He knows he shouldn't have driven by the front, shouldn't have risked the exposure but he would do it again now if he knew that he would see her. She had looked beautiful even in the bonds – and angry – angry enough to kill, or at least to hurt someone very, very badly. He smiles and wonders if she might be angry at him. He finds that he likes the idea, it is…exciting.

His attention snaps into focus when he hears a door close, very close to the mike this time, and then he is not imagining it, he _does_ hear her breathing. And then, he hears her whispering.

"Fuck you, Lucas. I know you can hear me, you stupid git. I found the bug in my jacket…I'm sure you think you're very clever, don't you? I saw you driving that fucking van. You know this is all your fault, don't you? I'm in here, fucking hogtied, because of you."

An image flashes into his mind, Marian with her feet and hands lashed tightly in the small of her back, cords pressing ridges of flesh up around her wrists and ankles. He finds it disturbing – mostly.

She speaks seductively now, the fury that laced her earlier words gone, "I bet you'd like it, I bet you wish you were here. In fact, why don't you come in here and see for yourself? Just climb in my window, you know you want to…" and now she's spitting with anger again, "Those bastards left me here to rot! Robin still trusts me, no thanks to you, but he's gone off somewhere with that ass Downy, and now…"

Lucas blinks in consternation; he had not seen anyone leave. Locksley slides down another couple of notches in his estimation – how could the man have left her alone with Downey's men? Either he was stupid or he cared more about his allies and his precious cause than he did about her.

She continues, hissing into the mike, "…he left me here with these fucking thugs! And I can't even move! I can't do anything!" Suddenly, her voice breaks and he can hear the panic in it, can feel her fear twisting in his own gut. "Please be out there…please be listening…Lucas, I'm scared."

She's stopped now, but he can still hear her breathing, heavily but evenly; she is OK, but for how much longer? The fear coils tight in his belly – he has to consider that Downey has decoyed Robin out of the house expressly to leave her alone with his men, so they can…NO! He can't even think it. Just as he decides that he has to go in, that he will go crazy if he doesn't look in every window until he finds her, his phone rings. Harry. He doesn't know what to do, so he watches it as it rings, finally flips it open.

"Lucas here."

Harry's first question is innocuous enough but Lucas can hear the anger buried in his voice, "What are you doing Lucas? Why have you moved location?"

He imagines them there, all sitting in front of the screen, listening to him and watching his dot blink on the map. He had not told Roz everything earlier, but he really should…this could get dangerous, fast. He carefully explains the situation in as few words as possible.

Harry's next question is expected, "And your asset?"

"Suspicion fell on her, she is in danger, but I still have a bug in."

Lucas hears Harry's voice tighten further, prepares for a tongue-lashing, and is surprised by the calm words, "Let me know if anything changes…and Lucas, remember, no heroics."

Lucas says nothing at first, hesitates, then says, "Harry…I trust her. I think the information in my report is good," before he flips the phone closed and stashes it in his pocket.

He tells himself that he needs to talk to her, needs to reassure her – he doesn't want her to do anything drastic – doesn't want her to precipitate anything…he swallows…dangerous. But he knows the truth is that he just really needs to know that she is safe, that he really needs to see her. In the back of his mind he thinks that this is an incredibly stupid idea that Harry had expressly forbidden, but he manages to shove that voice down until it doesn't bother him anymore.

He tilts his head sideways and puts an earpiece in – it's almost impossible to do by himself, but he manages, barely. He pockets another one; they might need them later, plus it will make him feel better to know she can hear him too.

Taking his gun in his hand he jumps out of the van. He creeps carefully up to a house for the second time in as many hours. This time is easier, he's not in a panic, and the landscaping is lush and easy to hide behind. He hopes that the thugs are as incompetent as he thinks they are as he moves to the corner of the house. He moves slowly from window to window, peering cautiously into each one as he goes.

There is nothing and nothing and nothing, and finally…there. She is right under him, on a bed pushed up against the window. He can see the dark mass of her hair and the bonds holding her hands tight behind her and the tape on her ankles. He pushes against the glass gently, locked, but he can still hear her breathing in his ear so he taps lightly, waits a moment, then taps again. She gasps and it sounds so close he can almost feel the wind of it, and then she is rolling over and he can't think, or even see anything except the radiant smile she wears. That smile warms him everywhere at once and he thinks that maybe he could stand here basking in it forever. He shakes the feeling off and points at the window lock. She nods in comprehension before rolling awkwardly up to her knees, and scooting until she can thumb the catch. He pushes the window open and climbs in and as he wraps around her she sags back into his arms, tears of relief silently rolling down her face.

"You _were_ listening…you fucking bastard…I knew you were. I fucking knew it," she whispers, and he can't stop the smile that curls his lips when she calls him bastard. He gathers her up in his arms and takes her in, the smell of her, the feel of her, everything about her. He feels tension draining out of him and only then realizes how scared he had been, how much he had worried that he would never find her, or that it would be too late when he did, or that it would be a trap and she would laugh as Locksley took him down.

"I'm taking you out of here. You're coming home with me," comes out of his mouth and he can't stop the look of surprise that covers his face when he hears it. That had not been his plan, but truly, he hadn't really had a plan beyond getting here and then leaving somehow. And then, he is not sure if it is really the best idea. Roz certainly won't think so – and Harry won't either. But it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks because Marian is shaking her head adamantly.

A glint of anger appears in her eyes, "I'm not going anywhere with you – you fucking bugged me – this is all your fault! I had things under control until you mucked it up."

He strokes her cheek with his index finger, perversely pleased that she's tied and can't push him away. He says, voice low and caressing, "You know I had to – you were lying to me Marian."

Her breath huffs out onto his hand and she turns her face away, mutters, "not about anything important."

"I don't know, did you?" he asks. "You didn't tell me the truth about Hood…what did you tell the truth about? Tell me, did you really want to fuck me, or was that just part of your game?"

At that, her gaze snaps back onto his and he feels that familiar dizzy warmth creeping over him. She hisses, "What do you think, Lucas? What would you think if I told you I wanted to fuck you again, right now? Would you believe me?"

Her eyes are wide and beautiful, but not at all innocent as he leans over her. He breathes, "yes", and then he is kissing her, pressing his lips into hers until they burn. He feels his cock stiffening and tightens his arms around her, pressing her down onto it.

She breaks the kiss to say, "Untie me."

The corner of his mouth twitches and he tries to suppress the smirk. "No," he says.

Her brows lower and her cheeks flush and as she takes a deep breath he continues just in time to avert her tantrum.

"They might come in to check and I don't have time to tie you back up…besides, I think I like it."

She is still scowling at him but lets the breath ease out slowly, "Do you?" she asks. "Tell me, Lucas, How much do you like it?"

"Let me show you," he whispers, and starts working her pants down over her hips. He pushes them down as far as they'll go and then considers for a moment before tipping her over onto her knees. She flops forwards onto her face and starts swearing intelligibly into the mattress. Lust heats his stomach as he eyes the perfect curve of her hips and when she wriggles, trying to get her face out of the bed, he stops thinking of anything else at all.

Just as he reaches for his zipper she turns her head to the side, gasps, "Jesus, Lucas, either untie my hands or get me a pillow. I can't fucking breath!" She starts giggling uncontrollably as he props her chest up.

When she doesn't stop he pushes his own pants down and presses up against her. As his cock slides in he notes with satisfaction that the giggling stops abruptly. He finds that he loves the look, the feel, of her as his cock moves in and out. He presses her down into the bed until he the tape on her wrists is sliding against his belly and he finds that he loves that too. He works his hand under her until he can angle it just so, and then he fucks her hard so he can feel her grinding against his fingers with every thrust. He hears a quiet "oh" and then she turns her face back into the mattress and he can barely hear the muffled sounds she's making, so he fucks her harder until she is scarily, riskily, excitingly louder and he feels her start to clench around him. When her hips snap forward to press hard, harder, into his hand he lets himself go and he is so deep in her that he really _does_ feel like they might be one person instead of two.

Finally, he comes back to himself to find that he is curled around her, still inside her, whispering half-obscene endearments into her ears, into her hair, into the nape of her neck, and the angle of her jaw. He wants to fuck her again and again, could never get enough of her, and the words flow out of him, pouring out the want, and the need, and the absurd hopes, until he is so shocked by the words half formed on his tongue he clamps his jaw shut on them, stops abruptly and breathes heavily through his nose.

Marian wriggles around to face him, and then just looks at him with her wide blue eyes.

He thinks immediately that this was maybe the worst idea that he's ever had – the thugs could show up and minute and here he is, pants around his ankles, confessing thoughts that _he_ didn't even know he had, _love?really? at least he hadn't said that_, to this _girl _he has barely known a week and fucked a total of 3 times now, and who he, by the way, still can't quite bring himself to trust.

She is _still_ staring at him and he shakes his head in resignation. He tries to distract her with a kiss, but she dodges, keeps her eyes on him as she says, "Lucas", and the word, his name, is chock full of – something – he's just not sure what exactly, and he thinks maybe he doesn't really want to know. And then _she_ is kissing _him_, and it feels… like maybe it is something good after all…like maybe, it feels like a promise.

There is a crash in another part of the house and he thinks again that this is fucking stupid, and just that quickly he is yanking his clothes back on and fixing Marian's pants.

"We need to go – now!" he whispers urgently, but she shakes her head, adamant.

"No, I can't Lucas, Robin said…this time they are going to hurt people, lots of people, and I can't stop it if I leave."

"Marian, please, they already suspect you. It's too dangerous, I can't…" _risk you_ he thinks, but instead finishes lamely, "guarantee your safety."

She looks surprised, then amused, then finally annoyed at the formal phrase. She speaks breezily, ignoring the awkwardness of her bonds, "Well, in that case Lucas, It's been a lovely interlude, really it has, and I'm glad to hear that now you would like to 'guarantee my safety', but it's time for you to go, isn't it? Time to go sit in your stupid van and fucking spy on me while I lie here, tied so I can't fucking move, and wait to see if Robin gets back before those bastards decide to come bash my head in," and now she is spitting with rage and bitterness.

He is taken aback by her anger – after he had just spilled practically _everything_ he had ever felt; surely that was worth something. It reminds him that he still doesn't trust her so he pulls back, resumes the emotionless façade of an MI5 agent dealing with an asset.

His movements coolly efficient, he pulls out the extra earpiece. "This is for you, you will be able to hear me in case I need to give you instructions." She looks at it doubtfully and he clears his throat before continuing, "It is completely invisible and undetectable, just be careful not to talk in front of anyone."

She shoots him an annoyed look, but remains quiet as he guides her head down to the pillow and carefully positions the device. It's done quickly, but he can't help lingering a little afterward; he rubs a few strands of her hair between his fingers, then sighs quietly, the air barely hissing out. She jumps as if he'd goosed her, "Oh shit. That sounded like it was right in my ear!"

His lips curl a little at the corners, but he keeps his voice serious, "That's because it is right in your ear. Remember, I'm here, I'll be close."


	5. Chapter 5

He's back in the van and after calling in an update (he doesn't mention his recent escapades of course) he tells Marian that he's in position. She snickers, then makes a non-commital sound, so he just sits and listens to her breathing for a few minutes, wishing that he had brought her out, to the van, to the grid, maybe to his apartment - anywhere, really, as long as he could _know_ she was safe.

Rationally, he knows that if he pulls her out now Downpatrick will vanish and probably Locksley too. For that matter, she might vanish as soon as she gets clear of Section D, and he knows he won't be able to find any of them until after they've set off another bomb and killed more than the chancellor's son this time. He sighs in frustration - he is just too emotionally involved at this point to sort out the best course of action. This operation has turned into a painful, confusing, mess in his mind, and the only thing that he is sure of is that he can't stand the thought of her vanishing, now or ever. He doesn't know what else he can do, so he just sits in the van with the earpiece in his ear and listens to the air moving in and out until he can hardly tell his own breathing from hers.

She makes another sound and he realizes that she must have heard him sigh. He mentally curses - if he wants this to work out, he needs to remain cool, more importantly needs _her_ to think he's cool. The last thing he wants is for her to suspect that he's so torn up over this, over her.

"Lucas?" she asks, and her voice is small, vulnerable again.

"Yes?" he answers.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"For earlier, I didn't mean it. When I said it was an interlude, I mean."

Silence. He isn't sure what to say.

"You just...scared me, that's all. I...no one has ever, I mean, Robin doesn't...I don't know what I mean, but that was just...more. And then I felt like...I wanted you to know...so I kissed you... but then I thought of Robin and I thought that maybe I should take it back, but I couldn't, so I... I'm sorry."

"Oh" he says. He doesn't know what else to add, so he leaves it at that.

"Lucas?" she asks again.

"Yes?" he answers, and he braces himself for what he is sure is coming. He is so occupied with trying to decide whether to lie or tell the truth that he almost misses her question.

"Marian, I feel..." he starts, and then stops abruptly when her words finally filter in. She has just asked him if he ever watches children play.

"What? Do I ever watch children?" he mumbles. He still isn't sure what to say, but as she continues he realizes it was a rhetorical question, she probably assumes that everyone has watched children play.

"You know how I was pregnant? I started watching children...and...they are so small and perfect, with little hands, and little feet, and little smiles. I never really realized before...I just wanted it so much, you know?"

Oh yes, he knows how she was pregnant, what's more, he knows how angry she was when she found out that he knew and how she nearly crippled him trying to get as far from him as possible. She seems to have conveniently forgotten all of that, however, now it's like he never read her diary, instead, she's acting like she told him, her best chum, all about it herself. It annoys him but she just sounds so sad, and shit, what she said has made him so sad for her, that he just makes a vaguely affirmative sound.

"I was so destroyed when I lost it."

And it is when he hears the tears in her voice that he realizes how hard this must be for her; that she has no one else to talk to about this because she told no one, that she has mourned alone.

"Marian," he says, doing his best to offer comfort, "...I'm sorry, I know it's hard, but there will be others. You have a whole future to fill with children."

Her next breath is shaky, but her voice is clear, and now she does ask him, now, when he's not expecting it.

"Lucas, did you mean what you said earlier?"

"Yes," he blurts out, then, "No," then, "I don't know." But that is not a fair answer, so he takes a deep breath and carefully strings the words together. "I...I think so. Those things I said, they just came out of me. I didn't even know they were in there until I heard my mouth saying them...but I think so. Yes."

She is silent for a moment, then surprises him yet again.

"Maybe I will get pregnant again. What if I already am? What would you think? If I was, I mean?"

He feels his pulse accelerate. They had never used protection, he hadn't really thought about it, had just assumed - but no, he realizes, she must not be taking anything. Well then. So, just what is she trying to say? Is she asking him to...?

His voice shakes a little as he asks, "Marian? What? Are you?"

"No, I mean, I don't know yet. Maybe, right? What would you think?" she persists.

Relief mixed with disappointment floods through him. He considers that he actually feels disappointment for a moment, then reluctantly, he asks, "What about Robin?"

"Forget about Robin!" she says, her voice brimming with impatience. "It would be you! What would you think?"

He lets his breath ease out slowly while he thinks. She dismisses Robin so easily, but somehow he doubts that she has really forgotten him. It makes him angry, but there have been too many lies already; he decides this is a time to be honest, despite how it makes him feel foolish and vulnerable.

"I would be happy? I always thought, that someday...I would have a child, and a family."

He can almost hear her smile.

For once, he has let his defenses down, and he surrenders himself to the moment, to the easy back and forth and the pure delight of her voice in his ear. They talk, whispering into the dark, about the future, about the past, about hopes and dreams, but never about their reality, never about the present. Never about the bonds that bind her wrists, or the terrorist boyfriend it's Lucas' job to stop. They talk until they both drift down into sleep.

* * *

Lucas sleeps in the van, sprawled awkwardly over and around equipment and weaponry. His only dreams are of lying next to Marian, of feeling her breath on his skin.

Sometime after midnight Jo shows up, startles him awake. He almost shoots her he is so surprised but she just laughs like it's the biggest joke in the world. He takes a moment to thank God it's not Roz; she would probably feed him his balls for breakfast if he pulled a gun on her. Harry has sent Jo to relieve him, but he refuses to go home. He doesn't try to explain it, just insists, and she shrugs - laidback as always. She scrunches in the corner to give him more room.

"Don't be silly, you're the tall one", she says, and then she laughs again when he tries to apologize.

Just at first light she touches his shoulder, says, "Locksley and Downpatrick are back." And he is suddenly wide awake. He reaches for his ankle holster, checks for his gun as he sits up.

"They've brought some others with them," she adds, "they look like a bunch of kids." He frowns in thought, has Locksley been out rounding up martyrs?

He hears deep, even breathing in his ear and can't stop the smile. Spending the night - together, mouth to ear, mind to mind, like this - is the most intimate thing he's ever brought himself to do.

"Marian is still asleep," he says quietly, trying not to wake her. The smile still tugs at the corners of his lips on every long exhale.

"Marian?...you mean Miss South, the asset?" Joe asks, arching an eyebrow.

His smile disappears, the happy calm he has been immersed in since last night evaporates, and he mutters, "Yes, the asset," before reminding himself that he needs to be more careful in front of his colleagues.

At some point in the night Jo pasted more bugs to the windows, so they are able to sit and listen to thumps and mutterings for what seems like hours before he finally hears a door quietly open and close near Marian.

He sits up straight as Locksley speaks; here comes the ugly reality they had so carefully avoided last night.

"Marian, wake up! Today is the day! Downey decided to move it up after that mess yesterday...we'll get there just after the polluting bastards do!"

Marian answers, voice still full of sleep, "Oh. Great. Umm." she stops for a minute, then sounding more alert, continues, "Could you fucking untie me then? I've been here all night! How could you leave me here like this? I'm cold, and hungry, and I fucking need a cigarette!"

Lucas hears rustling, then the flick of a lighter and a long-drawn inhalation. She makes a little humming sound as the breath eases back out; it sounds happy. Lucas scowls, sure that she is happy to see Locksley.

"So, BP then?" she asks casually.

"Shh...," Robin replies, "If Downey knew that I had told you...he thinks you're compromised, he'd scrap the whole operation."

"Hmm," she replies.

"Try to find out how long we have," Lucas urges.

"When are we leaving?" she asks.

"Soon," he answers, "Get your things together."

She snorts, "Things? What things? I haven't had anything since I had to leave my apartment. I'm ready now."

Good, Lucas thinks

"Good," Locksley says.

And Lucas feels the slow burn of resentment as the man echoes his thought. Locksley is in there with her, can see her, could touch her if he wanted to while Lucas has to content himself with a mike. He feels a violent jealousy of this time Locksley has with her, of all the time he has had with her; for practically all the years of their lives she has been his. He reassures himself, Locksley will be in jail soon; he will have no one then, and Marian will be free.

Locksley speaks again, tone full of seriousness, "I need to know, are you committed to this, baby? Are you going to see it through?"

Her voice wavers ever-so-slightly as she answers, "You know I will," and Lucas hopes to God that waver is there because she is lying.

* * *

When the ELF squad leaves the house and piles into a van they get a head count – 5 total. Downey and his compatriots stay behind, so they call Harry for another team to pick them up. Lucas and Jo follow the van—that's where the real danger is. Jo is talking urgently on the phone so Lucas takes the wheel.

He follows them carefully, keeping far enough back to avoid suspicion, thankful for the earpiece Marian has in so he can still track what's going on.

He hears Marian ask, "Where's the bomb Robin? Is it already there?"

"Good girl," Lucas says, "That's just what we need to know."

Locksley laughs, "No, we're the bomb, baby, we're the bomb," and Lucas feels his breath hitch in the same moment he hears Marian's stop.

"We've got 5 suits rigged in the back – each of us at a key structural point and BOOM!" He sounds excited, giddy almost. "Big Oil will think twice before drilling in pristine environments after this one! No more offshore platforms! No more butchered rainforest! No more indigenous lives ruined!" He definitely sounds giddy now.

Lucas hears a "yeah, right on!" from the background, and some ragged cheering.

"Oh," Marian says.

"Don't worry," Locksley replies, catching her unease, "You'll be placed next to me. We can go out together."

Marian says nothing, but Lucas is furious. "That bastard," he hisses, "don't listen to him Marian." Does Locksley know her at all? She wants to _live, _wants to have children, wants to grow old watching them play; not die in a ball of flame for some cause no one will remember in 50 years.

He wonders momentarily if Locksley would have planned this if she had told him about the pregnancy—if he had heard her voice when she talked about having a child, but no, there had to have been a _reason_ she didn't tell him, and his latest obsession with bombings was probably it.

"Don't put that suit on, Marian," Lucas says.

She remains silent.

"You don't need to put it on," he urges, and this time he is unable to keep the command out of his voice. He is not sure if she is silent because she is ignoring him, or because she doesn't want anyone else to hear her talk.

Lucas quickly details the plan to Jo, who phones Harry again.

"That's right, we need three additional marksmen to cover all five potential bombers."

"Not Marian!" Lucas hisses, "Two more!"

Jo ignores him, but then adds, "and Lucas will handle the asset, Miss South."

He glares at the side of her head, but she just turns to meet his gaze, non-plussed, "You know it's standard procedure to have one shooter for each bomber, Lucas. I know she's your asset, but there are no guarantees."

They pull up to the building behind the van, and as he climbs out Lucas can hear rustling over the mike. He takes a moment to pray that Harry has called in the evacuation, then consciously focuses on what he _can_ save, who he _has_ to save.

"Don't you go in there, Marian," Lucas says. When there is no response he pleads, voice breaking, "Please, just stay in the van."

"Here we go!" he hears Locksley say over the mike, and before he can open his mouth to warn Jo, they've burst out of the van and are off.

Marian turns, he can see her looking for him, and he says, "Yes, I'm here, come here to me." But then Locksley calls her and she turns back to the building and Lucas hears her gasp in shock. He follows her gaze to the glass-plated lobby, and suddenly, he feels like crying.

He hears her screaming at Locksley faintly, her voice echoing strangely in his ears like he's underwater.

"There are children in there Robin! _That_ is a nursery! You can't do this! I won't let you do this!"

Locksley hesitates, looks back at Marian, but then, seeing Lucas and Jo approaching he starts running towards the building. Marian bolts after him.

"No Marian!" Lucas shouts, "Don't follow him! Don't go in!"

Once she's inside the building in that suit she'll be in as much danger from snipers as she is from Locksley. Cursing, Lucas is after her, trying to catch her.

Locksley runs across the lobby and presses himself against a support pillar. Marian is still haranguing him, but her shrill voice cuts off suddenly as he raises his trigger high. Lucas shifts, trying for a better shooting position until he hears Locksley speak.

"Don't come any closer," he says, then glaring at Lucas, adds, "either of you." More dangerously, he asks, "What is he doing here?" as he stares at Marian. She stares back for just a moment before her face crumples and her body sags, and she starts begging, "Please baby, I love you, don't do this! I know you and you can't want this! You can't want to kill children!"

She takes a few stumbling steps closer and Lucas is not sure what the truth is, who she wants or what she needs, but every word she just said was like a knife in his heart and all he has left is the hope that she is lying to get closer to Locksley, that last night was _true_. He _needs_ last night to be true.

Locksley is uncertain as well, and he hesitates again before raising his hand even higher.

Marian stops again, and this time she's blocking Lucas' shot completely. "Marian, get back!" he hisses. Nothing. "Marian! Get away from him!" he shouts, and she turns to look at him and there are too many emotions in her eyes for him to read any of them. He sees her lips move and he can just hear her voice in his ear as she whispers, "I'm sorry." He is trying desperately to reach her when she turns back and launches herself at Locksley.

White noise. Gray light. Blackness. A sudden eerie silence, then a distant ringing in his ears that rushes closer and closer until it swallows him back into quiet.

His eyes open and everything comes back in a rush, dust everywhere, unrecognizable debris around him, on top of him, and still that eerie silence. Gradually, a babble of voices in his ear, but none of them are the one he wants, none of them are the one he needs. His breath catches in a sob as he realizes he can't hear her breathing anymore.

"Marian!" he screams, and he is scrabbling through heaps of rubble, choking on dust so thick he can hardly see.

It seems like only moments until he feels a hand on his arm, and Jo says, "Lucas? Are you OK? What are you doing? We've been trying to reach you for over twenty minutes, is your com working? The building is unstable, you have to get out now."

"No," he says, "she was just here! You don't understand, she was just right here. I have to get her out, she has to be safe!"

He wrenches his arm away from her, turns back to the lobby and the hopeless mess of concrete filling it.

Jo watches him, then presses her hand to her ear as she speaks into her mike.

Minutes later a team of men he doesn't know rush in and drag him out. They stuff him in an ambulance and he feels a needle in his arm as he tries to get up. "No!" he shouts, struggling, "Let me go!" They strap him down until all he can do is plead with them as the drugs take effect. His head starts to spin and he murmurs plaintively, "but I can't hear her breathing anymore, please, I have to go find her, please, let me go back!" but soon enough everything goes still.


End file.
